The Path of a Blood Knight
by Barelygoodenough
Summary: Here is my introduction to Kar'lei Sunblade.


After the fall of Quel'Thalas

"This has to be ending soon." Kar'lei said out loud. The young Quel'dorei ranger under her care just looked at her and she saw the hope escape from his eyes. "Don't worry, I will do my best to save you," she said with confidence. She placed her hands on his chest and called upon The Light to help her save the dying solider. Alas it was too late. She placed her hands on top his eyes and closed them, as he no longer needed them to see in this world. Quel'Thalas had fell, her and a group of Quel'dorei fought to stay alive against small bands of scourge. Almost all of the magic energies as well as Silvermoon had been destroyed; some of those close to her had gone mad from withdrawal.

A small hand had found itself on her shoulder "Lei, take your rest, tomorrow will be here quickly" The young priestess instructed her.

"Thank you, Kytara, please notify the families of todays fallen" Kar'lei requested of her novitiate. Kytara was sent to assist and learn from Kar'lei before the war had begun. Since the war, a strong bond had formed between them. "Ky," Kar'lei reached out and grabbed her hands "You are like a sister to me; please promise me that you will stay safe"

"Lei, you act like we are not going to see each other again" Kytara looked at her questionably "But, I will stay safe, go home, I will see you tomorrow." The two females embraced "Oh and Armas is looking for you" she winked.

"Well then I should pay him a visit this eve" Kar'lei smiled.

As she walked to the mage's quarters, her thought's laid heavily on her mind. Had The Light abandoned them? Could they overcome the scourge? It had already seemed too late.

She entered Armas' quarters and snuck up on the tall blond Quel'dorei as she covered his eyes with her hands he spoke "Lei, how many times do I have to tell you, you're not a rogue." He laughed and turned around quickly, grabbed her in his arms, then placed his lips on her neck. As he moved her back to the bed, he sat next to her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and with his touch she let out a heavy sigh. "What is wrong, my love?" He inquired.

Kar'lei's green eyes glowed bright. "Armas, I have spent years of my life practicing in the ways of The Light. I have been charged with Kytara to guide her. The humans swore it would save us! Yet every day I see more and more Quel'dorei die to the scourge."

"Lei…."Armas tried to interject, but Kar'lei was intent on continuing

"The Sunwell is destroyed all we are doing is fighting the remaining bands of scourge. I fear for all of us left. The ones who are not dying from the scourge are dying from withdrawal" She looked at her hands and they were color of blood as she held them tightly clenched.

"Lei!" Armas said forcefully and placed two fingers upon her lips. "Prince Kael'thas is making his way back. A scout has seen him and he is helping the Sin'dorei that he finds along the way."

"Sin'dorei?" she questioned

"Yes in honor of those who have fallen, we have been reborn" He took her in his arms "There was another reason I wanted to see you though tonight." He reached in his pocket and turned around with his back to her. From what Kar'lei has learned from watching him work he was performing an ice spell on the mysterious object. Armas turned around and placed the fresh ice ball in her hand. She raised a brow at him as he took his other hand and placed it over the ball and began warming it. As the water dripped from Kar'lei's hand onto the ground a small gold round ring appeared. "I can not live without you" Armas finally said.

"And now you won't have to" She replied. She wrapped her arms around him and placed her lips upon his.

The next day Kar'lei walked lightly to Kytara's quarters. Never had she felt stronger. With the news of the Prince returning and gathering troops to help their cause, she had nothing to fear. She looked down at the gold band and her finger. She had known Armas for years but not until recently had their love grown strong.

Only a few feet from the novitiate's home she noticed her lying on the ground. Quickly she ran to her side. "Ky .. Ky" Kar'lei voice trembled as she looked for a hint of life.

"Lei… I … tired to fight them off" As Kytara spoke a hint of blood escaped from her lips.

"No, I am not losing you! Not when things are looking up… take my hand we will have to call on The Light together." Kar'lei started chanting, but Kytara's hands got colder "Do not take her, where are you? Save this young girl!" She screamed at the azure sky. She looked back down at Kytara and saw the last breath leave. Kar'lei sat that with her hands still clenched on the dead girl's. Why have you abandoned me? Why have you abandoned us? For the rest of the day Kar'lei sat by her side.  
During that time she had made the decision to renounce her vows to the Light.

A few years later in Silvermoon City

The morning light radiated in from her bedroom window, the red silk sheets clung to her body. She reached over in the hopes that Armas was there. But recently, most mornings she woke up alone. His behavior had become strange lately; he was not as loving as she once remembered. He barely touched her and as he seemed only interested in magic and getting more of it. She would hear him speaking in languages unknown to her and often heard the name of Tythis. Kar'lei asked her friends if the knew of this mysterious person but nobody had heard of him.

One night Kar'lei had had enough she had to find out what was going on. As Armas left, she waited to hear the door close and got up. Dressing in all black, as to help her not attract an attention Kar'lei left their home and begun to follow him. She had a strange feeling she knew what was going on. But she did not want to believe it. She watched him turn down an ally that was filled with darkness. Kar'lei hesitated for a moment I have to know the truth, has he gone insane? Slowly she turned the corner hoping that no one would see her.

"I knew it!" Armas yelled. Faster than she could speak, ice shot from his hand and her feet were frozen to the ground, he then quickly moved her hand to her neck. The other hand held a small fireball. "So my premonitions were correct, my own wife trying to steal my magical source" He bounced the fireball in his hand "I see the way you look at me. Tythis has warned me about you. Since you are no longer a priestess what do you need the magic for?"

It was true; she was no longer a priestess however she was dabbling in the demonic arts as well as dark mage spells to see where her next path would lead. "Armas…That's not it ..." she coughed as she gasped for air. Her feet were now free but dangling as he held above the ground. "I … had to … find out what was … keeping … my husband away from me." She tried to explain.

She grabbed his wrist with her hand and squeezed it with the power she had left. Armas let go of her neck, now red from the struggle and Kar'lei hit the ground hard. "Kar'lei, Kar'lei, Kar'lei" he shook his head and continued, "A wife would support her husband, but here you are."

He shot the small fireball at her. It burned her skin as it hit the side of her stomach. Kar'lei cringed in pain as she tired to stand up. "You are not the women I feel in love with. My plans have now changed; I will have to look for a real woman to be my side when I take over Silvermoon." He laughed manically. At that moment she no longer recognized him.

"Who are you?" She snapped as she finally rose to her feet. "It is not me who changed, it is you" She grabbed her side where the fireball had struck her and began to walk away. "The Armas that I love would never attack the ones he loves"

As she continued to walk away she heard him laughing "Poor little Kar'lei, her end will come soon Armas, don't worry" she overheard.

The morning sun was bright when Kar'lei woke up. From the shape of the other side of the bed she could tell that Armas never came home, which was probably for the best. She heard a knock at the door and as she tried to get up, she found out she was sore from last night's confrontation. She got up and put on her silk gold robe that clung tightly to her. Armas had given it to her for an anniversary gift last year. "One moment" she yelled. She made her way to the door, when she opened it a Sin'dorei soldier stood in front of her.

"Kar'lei Ciryatan?" He questioned

"Yes, that is I" She replied, "What may I do for you?"

"You were a former priestess correct?" The questions continued.

"Yes, but I haven't practiced in a long time. What does this have to deal with?"

"Lady Liadrin has announced a new order to be formed 'The Blood Knights'" he handed her a piece of parchment "All the information is in here." And he walked away. She took the paper and walked in.

"Kar'lei!" She heard as was just about to close the door. A tall male ran up to the door "I need to speak with you"

She knew of this mage but did not know his name, he was more a friend of her husband's then hers. "What is so important?" She requested

"Last night, Armas was seen leading a small group of winnowed out of Quel'Thalas. This group had killed all of the guards from the gates of Silvermoon to the gates of Quel'Thalas. It has also been said that you two were seen arguing in the city last night. Do you know what is going on?"

"Armas is not the Sin'dorei, which he used to be. I am afraid he has gone insane. Last night I didn't even recognize man in front of me. All I can do is to warn you to be careful and not to approach him."

"I will take your words of advice. But you know if they find him they will kill him."

"I know, but if you excuse me I have some things I need to take care of"

"As you wish, you have a good day Kar'lei"

"As I hope you do as well"

She closed the door and looked out the parchment. "So they have corrupted the light…" she thought to herself. "The Light is what caused all of this. If would have been there during the war on Quel'Thalas then I wouldn't have lost so many close to me, as well as our city. Our sources of magic wouldn't have been destroyed and Armas wouldn't have slowly gone insane."

With that the decision had been made. First she needed to try to speak through to Armas. Then tomorrow she would speak with Lady Liadrin.

Kar'lei nodded at the two guards as she left Quel'Thalas. Only a few strands of her red hair escaped her hood. "Be careful Miss, the woods at night is no place for a lady"

She grabbed at the sword that was secured to her hip "Oh don't worry, I will be." She continued walking. All that she could hope was she could find him.

As she got deep into the forest she saw a lone figure, his blonde hair flowing as he was casting a spell. A gold band around his finger glimmered in the moon light. "Armas!" She called out; he flinched but did not turn around as he spoke.

"Your Armas is dead, you could never save him, and you are foolish to think you could." He cackled as he shot a ball of fire at her. This time she was able to move out of the way.

"Let me guess then, Tythis?" She asked of him.

"You are smarter than you look, no wonder he didn't want to kill you. But as for me I will have no problem with it" He lunged at her, knocking her to the ground. She grabbed his wrists and flipped him over. With a swift movement took one hand and drew her sword.

"And stronger too…" she said as she plunged the sword into his heart.

"How does it feel to drive a sword through your husband's heart" Tythis asked in his dying breaths

"As you said, you had killed my husband long before I drove that sword through it. As to drive a sword through your heart? It felt good." She removed herself from his body.

Kar'lei slowly pulled her sword from his now still heart and set it on the ground next to her. Outside the safety Quel'Thalas, she could feel the night ending. She removed the gold band from the limp finger and secured it in her pocket. She leaned over and placed a final kiss on his lips. "Armas, my love, I know you will forgive me" she whispered softly. She stood up, picked up the sword and walked over to the lake to clean the red blood off. After she finished she covered her head with the silk black hood attached to her cloak.

As she entered Silvermoon she felt no remorse for what she had done. She was left with no choice. Her husband had been dead for a while now. Tomorrow she would take the oath of a Blood Knight. A new life would start for her.


End file.
